How do I make text that looks like it is made out of a ribbon?
The base is to use a Bezier curve with a bevel object (which needs to be a curve too).

For the overall shape curve, add it by : ShiftA then choose 'curve' and 'Bezier'.

For the ribbon curve, add it the same way and flatten it : enter edit mode Tab, then scale it 0 along Y (as its shape is by default curved on Y) SY0.

Come back to object mode Tab.

At this step, you have two curves like this :



Now select the first one (overall shape curve) and assign it the second curve as bevel object (in the geometry part of the curve tab, as shown below) :



You can see that the ribbon curve is propagated along the overall shape curve.

But the ribbon is a bit large, so scale it down a bit : select the ribbon curve and scale it down S and move the mouse :



Now all is about extruding the overall shape curve. 
Select it, enter edit mode, select an extremity vertex (control point) and type E and move the mouse.



Alternatively, you can also extrude with LMB holding the Ctrl key simultaneously.



Eventually, you may need to subdivide some parts. Same can be done selecting two control points and with W then subdivide :



With these basic operations, you can 'draw' your shape.

Last operations to know :

You will need to twist your curve CtrlT then move the mouse:



And you will need to adjust the ribbon size AltS then move the mouse: